Hitch ball couplers are often used to secure towed vehicles to towing vehicles. Common towed vehicles include campers and towing trailers arranged to secure items such as boats, automobiles, and the like. Towing vehicles most commonly include trucks, tractors, and the like. Hitch ball couplers are typically secured to a tongue extending from the towed vehicle and arranged such that the coupler may be secured to a hitch ball attached to the towing vehicle.
Couplers are often arranged so that the coupler may expand to accommodate the hitch ball from the towed vehicle. Such an expanded or open position is normally designed to allow the coupler to engage the hitch ball. However, couplers are not generally designed to withstand the rigors of supporting the towing of a trailer while the coupler is in this open position. Towing a vehicle with the coupler in the open position may result in unwanted stress on the coupler, which may lead to excessive wear and tear and damage to the coupler, and eventual failure of the coupler.
There exists a need in the coupler industry for novel apparatus and methods for couplers to expand to an open position to accommodate a hitch ball while limiting wear and tear and damage to the coupler due to stress during towing with the coupler in the open position.